The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-07
THE NEW YORK LOSS HOUSE.
Graphic Description of Its Appearance
Bafore IL Was Burned.

Graphic Description. OF iVS Appeai oi1So
Before it Was Burned
New York, Aug. 6.--The fire at 2U'
Chatham square, New York, last week
closed the career of the first Chinese house
of worship in the metropolis. The career
of the church was brief one. 1t was
started at 10 Mott street in 1880. In 1880
the attendants had grown too numerous Tor
the accommodations, and the entire floor OF
the large warehouse at the address men-
toned was hired by the Trustees ofthe Or
ganization. Here for nearly two yeats lhe
sacred lamp was kept burning ana loss
sticks numberless have been consumed. fhe
entrance to the church is eminently mercan-
tile and prosaic A narrow hall similar 10
that in all the business buildings down
town, where the deceptive hatchway is per-
petually opening and bundles and barrels
are being raised and lowered, gives access 20
two flights of narrow and steep stairs. AT
the end of these is a small square landing
fronting heavy door lined with wrought
iron and studded with heavy steel nails.
As If III contrast with the formidable aspect
of the portal, hong vermilion banner
pasted on the wall reads in firecracker char
acters:
'All are welcome to joss"
The door is seldom fastened between dawn
and midnight. AS it opens it rings gong
that may be heard throughout the building
Before the doorway is a reception hal, cool,
clean and neatly oilclothed. From an ada
cent room comes a priest. tall, stout, well
fed and genial Whether the visitor be
friend or stranger, he receives the same wei
come. From the reception hail short pass
age leads TO the joss room. This is large
and roomy apartment about 80 by % feet
in dimensions. From the ceiling hang cut
crystal French chandeliers, Chinese lamps
and lanterns framed inscriptions in the
primary colors and queer carvings and vo-
tive decorations The walls are covered
with scarlet banners containing quotations
from the great poets, odd pictures illustrat-
ing life on the Yang-tsze- Kiang and the my
thology and folk-lo of the Flowery King
dom. Around the room is a continuous
row of heavily carved ebony chairs and
tables of the most massive description The
altar stands in a scarlet recess. It is nine
feet high, six wide and two deep. In gen
eral aspect it is an irregular box. whose
open front is broken into spaces by elabo-
rately carved columns. Everything is
gilded so heavily as TO resemble solid metal.
The gold is in four colors, bright yellow,
yellowish red, yellowish green and bronze
gold. As the eyes become accustomed to
the glare, the symbolism of the altar be-
comes apparent The highest ornament is
the sun shining in full effulgence; below it
are the leaves and branches of the forest,
typifying the heaven, and groups of birds,
the old feeding the young and young ones
billing and cooling, representing the two
highest passions, filial and marital love. Be-
low and above all the great dragons which
symbolic the physical force of the uni
verse. On every column the serpent of evil
is trying to ascend but is forever crushed
by the winged grifiins of JOSS. Beneath the
altar is a panel filled with crabs, corals,
shrimps and sea weed TO indicate the oceans.
In a square embrasure painted ON the finest
satin is portrait of JOSS, a tall, handsome
and intellectual looking man. On one side
of him stands the symbol of war and JUS
tice, q fierce soldier armed to the teeth, and
on the other that of peace and prosperity, a
beautiful woman bearing fruit, flowers and
gold.
In front of the altar is large table COW
cred with bronze urns and bowls, glass and
porcelain vases and punches of artificial
flowers and fruits The urns are filed with
sand, which serve to support joss sticks that
impression of huge pin cushion whose pins
and needles are all In combustion at their
heads.
AT one of the tables two silent merchants
are playing dominoes and slipping tea with
their cigarettes. One day last month, when
/ visited the church with a party Of friends,
the priest turned to one of the ladies and
said:
''How likee Chmee ChurchF"
every much, indeed" was her answer,
''but it seems strange for these men to be
drinking, smoking and having good time
here"
"You likee children9" asked the follower of
Confucius.
Certainly"
"You lilxee children to have good time
and be happy"
why, of course"
"You ikee children to have good time in
your house or in saloon round cornerP'
"ln my own house"
"Allee samee, joss. You and me evely
body his children, and he lilxee all his chill
dren to have good time in his house in New
York alice samee China. You hkee cigal-
cite, or cup of tea or coffee me velly glad to
give them you here all the time"
The offer was gracefully declined, but
there seemed TO be some force or meaning
i'll the sentiment.
A Chinaman enters, hands the priest some
little coin lights handful of joss sticks and
inserts them in the sand of an urn in front
of the altar He then stands upon pray
ing cloth before the urn, bows several times,
crosses himself, utters some prayer either in
silence or in an audible tone and departs.
This is the Mongolian style of worship,
quick, business-like anil economical
The Chinese are not at all exercised at
their loss. They had insured their property,
and have already applied for the money and
arranged to build a handsomer joss house
than the one destroyed.